Böcker av Manix Abrera

ABLAZE is proud to present two outstanding graphic novels by acclaimed Filipino cartoonist and three-time National Book Awardee Manix Abrera. With his "silent" storytelling, dependent on illustration to direct story and movement, Abrera truly demonstrates the heart and soul of the comics medium. This bundled set comes to you at a special price. In "12," Abrera tells twelve genuinely touching stories, each story with its own charm and intriguing twists - a young man spends his entire life searching for answers but shock awaits when he finally gets that eureka moment; someone finds love that unexpectedly finds somebody else; two men argue over who goes first on an escalator; a mother and daughter fight over a cockroach; a drunk man urinates on a tree and gets a big surprise - making you wonder how these mundane plots can turn out so bizarrely, prompting you to reflect and crave for more! In "14," a man who mysteriously discovers a 13th floor in his building and finds himself in the middle of a storytelling session among different mythological creatures of Philippine folklore. Together with a partying crowd of supernatural beings, he listens to stories narrated by creatures such as the Manananggal, Diwata, Tikbalang, Kapre, Tiyanak, and even by a White Lady and a Doppelganger.

ABLAZE proudly presents "14", the second silent graphic novel created by Filipino comic artist, Manix Abrera. This graphic novel is also his first work to achieve a National Book Award (Category: Wordless Graphic Literature) in 2015, awarded by the National Book Development Board and Manila Critics Circle. 14 tells the story of a human who mysteriously discovers a 13th floor on his building and finds himself in the middle of a storytelling session among different mythological creatures of Philippine folklore. Together with a partying crowd of supernatural beings, he listens to stories narrated by creatures such as the Manananggal, Diwata, Tikbalang, Kapre, Tiyanak, and even by a White Lady and a Doppelganger. With each creature taking the stage, describing wild stories spurred by their unique, terrifying traits and abilities, 14 is a grand narrative of weird yet wonderful tales, humorous albeit dark and spooky, surreal but unarguably true to the emotions of the heart. Stories like finding love then losing it, searching for happiness, getting lost, staying trapped, wanting to belong, dying to be born again - may all sound too human, but are also being experienced by these mythological creatures. Using absolutely no words in this graphic novel, Manix successfully tells the stories through careful planning of each scene and sequence. Frame by frame, panel by panel, Manix effectively renders each scene in detail and maximizes the power of images to completely convey the stories and emotions he wants to evoke in his readers. It is now up to you, the reader, to notice these details, to savor each frame, page by page until the big picture and meaning unfold sans the usual text balloons. Sounds mind-blowing! Reading without words is like talking without a voice, almost supernatural but not impossible. Let Manix Abrera's 14 talk to you visually and take you into a truly exciting and totally unforgettable literary experience.

Filipino comic artist and three-time National Book Awardee Manix Abrera, in cooperation with ABLAZE, presents "12". Twelve remarkable stories, weird and surreal, thought-provoking yet funny, sometimes disturbing, others terrifying, but nonetheless always enchanting.Twelve genuinely touching stories, all drawn in ManixΓÇÖs simplistic style, devoid of words, but communicate loudly and resonate wildly with your emotions. Each story presents itself in its own charm, with intriguing twists ΓÇô a young man spends his entire life searching for answers but shock awaits when he finally gets that eureka moment; someone finds love that unexpectedly finds somebody else; two men argue over who goes first on an escalator; a mother and daughter fight over a cockroach; a drunk man urinates on a tree and gets a big surprise ΓÇô making you wonder how these mundane plots can turn out bizarrely, prompting you to reflect and crave for more!One story reveals a mysterious horror encountered in gloomy desolate highways. Another shows how some group of scientists acquire superpowers because someone hesitated to dissect a frog. A young girl attaches her eyes to a balloon so she can look for her mother above a crowd. What is the meaning of life? Is finding happiness worth it when you lose what really matters the most? Would you even know what matters the most? Embrace pain and sorrow. Hope for love and will for hope.Manix AbreraΓÇÖs 12 breaks all language barriers in the world of storytelling, but cuts straight into your soul, touches your heart in several dimensions you can and cannot imagine. Allow this collection of wordless comic stories speak to you in your own voice and transport you into a whole new exciting universe, at your own pace and power.